By Kenneth E. Thorpe The FDA has recently approved exciting new treatments that can slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease, a scourge that claims more American lives than breast cancer and prostate cancer combined. One such medicine, Leqembi, reduced early-stage Alzheimer’s patients’ cognitive decline by 27 percent in clinical trials — a breakthrough that offers […]
Category: Health
Posted inWashington D.C. News
D.C. students add COVID-19 vaccination cards, negative coronavirus tests results to ‘back to school’ lists
By Gene Lambey, Special to the AFRO D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office and D.C. Health and Wellness have been working together to keep scholars safe at the top of the new year. Bowser made sure to publicize that students would be required to submit vaccination records prior to returning for the 2023-24 academic year for […]
Posted in!Front Page National News
New COVID-19 variant ‘Pirola’ raises concerns amidst ongoing crises
By Stacy M. BrownNNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent@StacyBrownMedia (NNPA NEWSWIRE) – Amidst a news cycle that now routinely features wildfires, a former president’s indictments, and extreme weather events, the world is grappling with the resurgence of COVID-19 as a new and concerning variant, BA.2.86, emerges. This variant, informally dubbed “Pirola,” has ignited alarm among public […]
Posted inAfro Briefs
Black leaders voice opposition to impending FDA ban on menthol cigarette and flavored cigars
By Tashi McQueen AFRO Political Writer tmcqueen@afro.com As the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is expected to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars this fall, several Black leaders recently gathered on a virtual call to seek a halt on the policy and stress the negative impact the prohibition could have on Black Americans. “I find […]
Posted inHealth
Amid lack of accountability for bias in maternity care, a California family seeks justice
By Sarah Kwon, By KFF Health News Aniya was ready to leave. She was dressed in a fuzzy white onesie her mother had packed for her first trip home, but this wasn’t the joyous occasion everyone had hoped for. Aniya’s family had more questions than answers. As they cradled the newborn and exited the hospital, […]
Posted inHealth
Black veterans and inaccessibility to mental health resources
By Sam JudyThe Dallas Weekly News (NNPA Newswire) ━ Despite taking the same risk of death and costly sacrifice to their mental wellbeing, Black Veterans continue to suffer as mental health services are statistically less accessible to them than their White counterparts. Institutional racism continues to persist as the Department of Veterans Affairs has acknowledged […]
Posted inWord In Black
The U.S. suicide crisis: A deep dive into disparities within the Black community
By Ebony JJ Cury / Michigan Chronicle, Word in Black The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Aug. 10 that 49,449 Americans died by suicide in 2022. The figure represents a 2.6% increase from the 48,183 suicides recorded in 2021, marking the highest tally ever documented, based on the CDC’s preliminary data. […]
Posted inWord In Black
Henrietta Lacks: Family announces 2nd lawsuit
By Alexa Spencer, Word in Black Just one week after the family of Henrietta Lacks reached an historic settlement with a biotech company over its use of Lacks’ cells in their products, the estate is suing a second company for unjustly profiting from her genes. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 10 in the United States […]
Posted inAfro Briefs, Health, NEWS, News
Three ways to mentally support youth as they grieve the loss of a friend or loved one
By Aria Brent, AFRO Staff Writer, abrent@afro.com It can be hard to support someone as they navigate grief. It’s even harder helping a child process one of life’s biggest challenges– but in many Black communities, conversations about death are happening earlier and earlier as youth increasingly become victims of violent crime. Grief is a feeling […]
Posted inHealth
The power of safe reporting on mental health
By Anissa Durham, Word in Black Whether you’ve ever experienced suicidal ideations or talked about it — Black folks are suffering in silence. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Feelings of sadness and hopelessness are common in the Black community. Some people may experience suicidal ideation, which means wanting to take your own […]
Posted inNational News
Henrietta Lacks’ 103rd birthday marked by court settlement for use of HeLa cells, Ben Crump and descendants celebrate
By Deborah Bailey, AFRO Contributing Editor, dbailey@afro.com On what would have been Henrietta Lacks 103rd birthday, Aug. 1, civil rights attorney Ben Crump announced an undisclosed settlement had been reached with Thermo Fisher Scientific, a major biomedical firm headquartered in Waltham, Mass. and the family. “I can think of no better present on what would […]
Posted in!Front Page Women's Health
What Black women need to know about fibroids
By Mylika ScatliffeAFRO Women’s Health Writer If you visit the Atlanta Fibroid Center website, you will see pages of testimonials from mostly Black women who no longer live a miserable existence of heavy bleeding, unbearable cramps and planning their lives around their periods. Dr. John Lipman, the center’s founder and medical director, has made it […]